Roguelikes That Are Worth Playing Just For Their Boss Fights

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5 Roguelikes Worth Playing Just For Their Boss Fights

By Gerardo Molina

Published Sep 6, 2024

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Summary

Roguelikes like Enter the Gungeon offer unique boss fights with original designs and attack patterns.
Strategic planning and smart resource management are crucial in boss fights in games like Slay the Spire.
Quality over quantity reigns in Nuclear Throne, with well-designed bosses providing colorful and visually appealing fun.

Roguelikes have been around for a few years now, and have become one of the favorite game genres for many players worldwide. There's just something very fun and exciting about being able to play a game numerous times without ever having the same experience.

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In most cases, Roguelikes are designed with similar art styles that work very well with both the intention of the games and without taking too much away from the combat or exploration experience that characterizes them, and while many titles in this genre are worth playing many times over, only a few stand out from the rest — often thanks to their boss fights. Here are five Roguelikes worth playing just for their boss fights.

5 Enter The Gungeon

A Roguelike With Bullet-Hell DNA

Bosses have a unique design that fits well with the game's overall look
Levels change constantly, so it always feels like a unique experience

While not all Roguelikes have to have bullet-hell elements, Enter the Gungeon is a great example of how both genres work perfectly together almost every time. One of the most interesting aspects of Roguelikes is that they change constantly, and Gungeon proves that with its procedurally generated dungeons, enemies, and other secrets.

One of the reasons why Enter the Gungeon shines is how varied each area's enemies are, but what truly takes the cake are bosses, like the Cannonbalrog, the Gatling Gull, the High Dragun, and secret bosses, such as Blockner and the Resourceful Rat. Not only are their designs original and fitting with the game's overall esthetic, but they also have their own attack patterns and animations.

Enter the Gungeon is ideal for playing on consoles that don't have too much graphical power, such as the Nintendo Switch, allowing everyone to have fun regardless of what gaming system they own.

4 The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth

A Boy's Grim Journey Through Hell

Numerous bosses to fight, and many more are introduced in the DLC
Interesting and morbid religious backstory

The Binding of Isaac focuses on Isaac, a young boy who flees to his basement to escape his religious mother, who believes that she must sacrifice him for her holy purposes. Although Isaac manages to get away from his mother, he finds all sorts of monsters and other creatures in his basement. He will have to muster up the courage to face them to survive and emerge victorious from that dark, damp place.

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The game's overall atmosphere, while not as scary as games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, does give off a certain feeling of discomfort, never allowing players to let their guard down. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth features the base game as well as all its DLCs, making for an experience loaded with ever-changing boss battles. Each boss is unique and offers a fun challenge for any players willing to take on the game.

3 Slay The Spire

Defeating Bosses Demands Strategy And Calculated Analysis

The game has many different cards, making every run feel fresh and different
Boss fights require a strategic approach and smart resource management

Straying from the bullet-hell elements that many developers incorporate into famous Roguelikes, there's Slay the Spire. This game features deck-building with Roguelike elements, offering players a unique experience. As the game progresses, players will learn more about The Spire's inhabitants, being forced to improve their dueling skills as they move along.

Slay the Spire features several boss fights, but as opposed to other titles, the game doesn't rely on fast reflexes and an aggressive attack approach to defeat them. Rather than that, players must focus on strategic planning and smart card management. Bosses like The Guardian, The Collector, the Awakened One, the Time Eater, and Donu and Deca will force players to analyze every move carefully and make cold, calculated decisions to win.

Since there are many cards in the game, every new run feels different, as it's unlikely players will have the same deck or even a similar one to their previous run.

2 Nuclear Throne

A Nuclear Wasteland Filled With Fun Bosses To Defeat

The boss count is lower than in other games listed, but each one is well-designed and fun to fight
The story isn't too deep, but the game makes up for that with other elements

Nuclear Throne follows the story of numerous mutated creatures living in a post-apocalyptic world. Other than survival, these creatures only have one goal in mind: reaching and claiming the Nuclear Throne. While this game doesn't have a deep story, it still proves to be one of the greatest Roguelikes due to its game mechanics and boss fights. Granted, there aren't as many bosses in this title as there are in others on the list, but frequently, quality matters more than quantity.

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In total, Nuclear Throne has nine bosses, including Throne II, Mom, Lil' Hunter, Big Bandit, and The Nuclear Throne. Each has its own challenges, attacks, and AoEs and will provide any player willing to face them with tons of colorful, visually appealing fun.

1 Dead Cells

The Ultimate Roguelike Experience

Fluid combat mechanics
Thirteen wonderfully designed bosses, with more included in the DLC

In Dead Cells, players will take on the role of a character known as The Prisoner. They will have to explore a diseased island full of dangerous creatures, vicious monsters, and enemies determined to end their journey early. Similar to Enter the Gungeon, Dead Cells has procedurally generated levels that change with each run, offering a fresh experience to players who want to play through the game more than once.

Dead Cells' combat system is very fluid, almost reminiscent of Blasphemous. Players will have to master the critical game mechanics to progress through the island and defeat the numerous enemies and dangerous bosses standing in their way. While there's some debate regarding which is the most difficult boss, many players agree that The Servants, The Scarecrow, The Hand of the King, The Collector, and The Queen are not only among the most challenging, but also the best designed.

The fun doesn't stop there eitehr, as the expansion, Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania, introduces even more bosses and a whole new world of possibilities.